U.S. Earns 7-2 Victory Over Switzerland at Five Nations Tournament

By USA Hockey , 08/06/23, 12:15PM EDT

Kevan, Mutryn record multi-point performances

CHOMUTOV, Czechia – Ben Kevan (Fairfield, Calif.) tallied a goal and an assist and Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) notched two goals and a helper as the U.S Under-17 Men’s Select Team skated to a 7-2 victory over Switzerland in the second game of the 2023 U17 Five Nations Tournament at Rocknet Arena on Sunday.

With the win, Team USA improves to 2-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) on the tournament.

“We were able to get a good start because our goaltender Wesley Jefferson-Swint (Walled Lake, Mich.) made some really good saves early on and allowed our guys to get in their game,” said Scott Paluch (Bowling Green, Ohio), head coach of the 2023 U.S Under-17 Men’s Select Team. “We were quick on the puck and created a lot of loose puck battles down low and our skills took over. We made some really good plays for the goals, and I think it’s another good momentum builder for our club as we head into an important game against Czechia.”

Niles Benson (Buffalo, N.Y.) opened the scoring with a wrap-around goal four minutes into the contest, assisted by Jackson Crowder (Allen, Texas). Mutryn followed with a tally midway through the period when he deflected a shot from Kevan to put the U.S. up 2-0.

With less than two minutes remaining in the opening frame, Mutryn tallied his second goal of the game on a setup from Nicolas Whitehead (Stamford, Conn.) and Jacob Rombach (Blaine, Minn.). Chase Jette (Lake Forest, Ill.) added to the score under a minute later, chipping a puck in the net on the edge of the crease from Jesse Orlowsky (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Blake Fiddler (Frisco, Texas).

GAME PHOTOS

Team USA took a 5-0 lead at the 12:28 mark of the second period when Kevan beat a Swiss player to the net and flicked the puck over the goaltender’s glove. Mutryn picked up an assist on the play.

Just over eight minutes into the third, Switzerland got on the board. Chase Reid (Chesterfield, Mich.) responded with a tally one minute later, firing a wrist shot from the top of the circle. Cooper Simpson (Shakopee, Minn.) assisted on the play.

Switzerland added a power-play goal at the 14:36 of the final frame.

With three minutes remaining in the contest, Simpson wrapped up the scoring, banking in a rebound on the man-advantage to put the U.S. up 7-2.

Jefferson-Swint made 22 saves in goal.

NOTES: Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) was named Team USA’s Player of the Game… The U.S. outshot Switzerland 48-24… Team USA will face off against Czechia on Monday, Aug. 7, at 1:00 p.m. ET.